The ‘Dinosauria’ collection includes commemorative 50p coins featuring Megalosaurus, Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus.

Fossils from these three dinosaurs were discovered by British anatomist Richard Owen, leading him to conclude they shared common characteristics. He named this new group of animals ‘Dinosauria’ in a paper published in 1842 which sparked mass interest from around the world.

As well as coining the term dinosaur, Owen was also the founder of the Natural History Museum.

This is the first time dinosaurs have featured on official UK coins. They will be available as a limited-edition gold and silver proof, colour-printed silver proof, colour-printed brilliant uncirculated and standard brilliant uncirculated edition via the Royal Mint.

They start at £10 a coin rising to £945 a coin.

Clare Maclennan, divisional director of commemorative coin at The Royal Mint said: “We are thrilled to be working alongside the Natural History Museum to launch a new series of commemorative 50p coins featuring Megalosaurus, Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus. We begin the series with Megalosaurus, with the coin’s design being a scientifically accurate representation of the dinosaur and the environment it lived in.”